Heard an interview with Nick Boles saying there's at least 40 other conservative MPs who would vote down a no deal brexit.

It's not clear to me that no deal gets a vote. Would seem to be what happens if a deal is presented to parliament and doesn't get approved or if no deal is presented to parliament.

Even then if the government asks parliamentary approval to leave the EU without a deal and then doesn't get the votes, what would happen then? At the end of March 2019 if we haven't agreed a deal we automatically leave. Does May have to go back and ask for an extension to negotiate further, is she forced to accept whatever deal the EU27 have on the table or she ask to have article 50 revoked?

Heard an interview with Nick Boles saying there's at least 40 other conservative MPs who would vote down a no deal brexit.

It's not clear to me that no deal gets a vote. Would seem to be what happens if a deal is presented to parliament and doesn't get approved or if no deal is presented to parliament.

Even then if the government asks parliamentary approval to leave the EU without a deal and then doesn't get the votes, what would happen then? At the end of March 2019 if we haven't agreed a deal we automatically leave. Does May have to go back and ask for an extension to negotiate further, is she forced to accept whatever deal the EU27 have on the table or she ask to have article 50 revoked?

Doesn't 'voting down a no deal Brexit' mean 'voting for the deal'?

Anyway - even if parliament does approve the deal (Chequers deal?) the EU might not.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that a "no-deal" Brexit on World Trade Organization terms would entail "substantial costs" for the UK economy.

Leaders of the car industry, probably among the most vulnerable major organisations to Brexit, have also been warning of factory closures.

Naturally, the Brexiters have been squawking "Project Fear! Project Fear" like a bunch of demented parrots - what does the car industry know about making cars, after all? - but they seem very happy to believe in their "Project Fantasy".

When Liam Fox announced this week that he was backing a post-Brexit around-the-world flight by a restored Spitfire, thoughts inevitably turned to the last politician who decided to weaponise the famous Second World War aircraft.

That was Nick Griffin during the 2009 European election campaign. Hilariously the photo chosen by his BNP on their ‘Battle for Britain’ posters turned out to be a version of the aircraft used exclusively by Polish pilots from the famed RAF 303 Squadron.

At least Fox has avoided a similar gaffe. Although the Silver Spitfire chosen for the flight has spent much of the last 55 years in Dutch museums and its return is being sponsored by a Swiss watch company – could they have a quiet word with Fox about the benefits of single market membership? – it’s in a relatively good nick and thus has avoided the ultimate indignity. The only approved manufacturer of replacement Spitfire propeller blades is based in Germany.

I happened to be travelling by ferry from Calais to Dover last Saturday, which was Battle of Britain Day (no, I didn't realise that either). I was pleasantly surprised to see a Spitfire flying over the white cliffs of Dover as we approached the harbour. This is a peculiarly British enthusiasm, though - I can't see the rest of the world reacting with anything other than a weary sigh...

LONDON — Work has begun to turn a motorway in south east England into a “parking lot” for lorries as part of a plan to prevent traffic chaos in the event of a no-deal Brexit, a senior MP said Thursday.

The plan, which was not disclosed to local councillors or MPs until hours before work began on Wednesday, will see the M26 motorway closed overnight for more than a month in the run-up to Christmas while the roadworks take place.

LONDON — Work has begun to turn a motorway in south east England into a “parking lot” for lorries as part of a plan to prevent traffic chaos in the event of a no-deal Brexit, a senior MP said Thursday.

The plan, which was not disclosed to local councillors or MPs until hours before work began on Wednesday, will see the M26 motorway closed overnight for more than a month in the run-up to Christmas while the roadworks take place.